'As to Mrs M & I, we have been, ever since we lived at Nethersole, great readers, taking each always a book at breakfast & at tea when without company in the house & also for some time after dinner & supper, by w'ch means we each read about 2 hours or make everyday our young men likewise taking their books at the same time, ... except after supper on days when we had been visiting, or at the Concert, the talking over which afterwards generally furnish'd amusement for the remainder of the evening.'